ArchaeoFox: Exploring the World Through the Past 
Early Medieval and Viking House Project
Prof. Aidan O’Sullivan, Brendan O’Neill, Dr. Eileen Reilly and Stephen Fox.
Soon after the establishment of UCD’s Centre for Experimental Archaeology and Ancient Technologies, the only on-campus university facility for experimental archaeology of its kind in the world, plans were set in motion for the Early Medieval & Viking House Project. Funded by UCD Seed Funding, Dublin City Council, Irish Museums Trust, The National Botanic Gardens and the Irish Research Council, and UCD School of Archaeology and lead by Prof. Aidan O’Sullivan, IRC Scholar and PhD Candidate Brendan O’Niell, and Dr. Eileen Rielly, the project was a two part endeavour to design and build first, an Early-Medieval Irish Roundhouse, followed by a Type 1 Dublin Viking House based on archaeological, historical and palaeoenvironmental evidence.
Building both structures on campus at the UCD Centre for for Experimental Archaeology, the project aims to:
- Investigate the architecture, raw materials, construction methods and habitation environments of both house types.
- Investigate different aspects of daily life within the houses, including light, heat, smoke, the use of space, life-span of the building as well as for recordning environmental signatures, for example the activity of beetles.
- Exploit the houses for university education and public outreach.
With the completion of the Early-Medival Roundhouse in 2015, I was invited to join the research team for phase two and lead the building of a Type 1 Dublin Viking House in the recently extended area of our Research facility.
The Early Medieval Irish Roundhouse at UCD, Centre for Experimental Archaeology
A view from the inside of our Mesolithic house at UCD Centre for Experimental Archeology
Stephen Fox, Brendan O’Niell and Dr. Eileen Reilly discuss the beginning plans of our Viking House
Detailed drawing of one of the Viking houses excavated in Dublin
A leave gets caught in the wild hair of the Early Medieval Irish Roundhouse at UCD Centre for Experimental Archaeology
Prof. Aidan O’Sullivan at UCD Centre for Experimental Archaeology
Dr. Eileen Reilly, consulting during our first meeting for the Viking Longhouse at UCD Centre for Experimental Archaeology
Surveying the very place where our Type one Dublin Viking House will be built.
The entrance to UCD Centre for Experimental Archaeology
Eileen, Brendan and Stephen stand at the heart of UCD Centre for Experimental Archaeology, where our Viking House will stand.
ArchaeoFox: Exploring the World Through the Past 
can the house be viewed by the public?? where?? in Dublin? looks like a very interesting project!
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Our Centre for Experimental Archaeology will be open to the public on the 18th of June for the UCD Alumni Festival. The house is centred in Roebuck, UCD, Belfield, Dublin.
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That’s a little far for me to travel…from America! I would love to see lots of detailed photos of the finished project!
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Thanks for leaving a comment. There is much more to come! Be sure to follow so you don’t miss any updates 🙂
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Oh, man … if I were only 20 years younger … and a UCD student … and, you know, in Ireland … I’m really looking forward to seeing this come together. I have seen some photos on Facebook … how is the woven lattice attached to the door frame?
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By a grove that runs along the side of the door. All will be revealed 🙂
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Wonderful work by Stephen Fox as always, I like seeing work by the UCD and it would’ve been a dream to go there one day, but I’m on the wrong island and don’t have the knowledge for that; I’ll stick to viewing your work and gaining knowledge by what’s released.
Takk
RRR
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